Department for Transport

Heathrow Airport: Night Flying

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is considering a ban on all night flights at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Airports Commission’s final report recommended noise mitigation options such as a ban on night flights, in the event of a decision to expand Heathrow.The Government’s position on airports capacity has not changed since the Airports Commission published their final report on 1 July 2015. Government is still reviewing all of the evidence before coming to any decisions.The Prime Minister has said a decision will be made by the end of the year.

Aviation: Windsor

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the noise impact of the Future Airspace Strategy on Windsor constituency.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government has not made such an assessment.The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) led Future Airspace Strategy provides a framework for how the UK’s airspace should be managed in the future. It is a CAA requirement that any proposer of an airspace change should consult with their local communities on how the implementation of the strategy will affect them.

London Airports: Finance

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will introduce a cap on the amount of public money used to fund surface access costs arising from the construction of a new airport runway at Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report, including its examination of the costs and financing of the schemes, before taking any decisions on next steps.In terms of surface access proposals, the Government has been clear that it expects the scheme promoter to meet the costs of any surface access proposals that are required as a direct result of airport expansion and from which they will directly benefit.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many jobs his Department expects to be created by the HS2 project in (a) Bradford, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) the UK.

Mr Robert Goodwill: HS2 will support up to 100,000 jobs around HS2 stations when operational.The balance of benefits will be in the Midlands and North; seventy per cent of jobs supported by HS2 are expected to be outside London, including an estimated 13,000 – 20,000 jobs around Leeds station. HS2 will support nearly 25,000 jobs during construction and 3,100 permanent jobs in operations and maintenance once it is open.

Cycling: Schools

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy in on continued funding for Bikeability in schools after March 2016.

Mr Robert Goodwill: We will take a decision on future funding for the Bikeability programme beyond March 2016 following the outcome of the Spending Review.

Invalid Vehicles: Accidents

Kate Hollern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents were reported involving mobility scooters in 2014.

Andrew Jones: The Department introduced the collection of data on personal injury road accidents involving motorised mobility scooters in 2011. A total of 29 out of 44 police forces supplied data in 2014. Across these forces, the number of reported personal injury road accidents involving mobility scooters in 2014 is given in the table below.Number of reported personal injury road accidents involving mobility scooters: GB, 2014Severity2014 (1)Fatal9Serious46Slight153All severities208(1) Date from 29 out of 44 police forcesThe Department expects that all forces will supply data by the end of 2016.

Manston Airport

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, under what cost and tenure an agreement from the owners of Manston Air Field for that field to be used under Operation Stack was secured; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones: The Department for Transport (DfT), along with its local partners, is involved in considering options for a long term site to be used as part of Operation Stack in the future. Disclosing commercially sensitive information such as the costs and tenure involved in the use of Manston Airfield, would be prejudicial to the DfT in securing value for money, through commercial negotiations, for the temporary solution and a long term site.

Manston Airport

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Manston Airfield will continue to be used under Operation Stack; what alternatives are under review; and what consultation under which timeframe is ongoing into the work of Operation Stack.

Andrew Jones: On 4 August 2015, we announced that we had secured Manston Airfield as a viable short term solution to relieve pressure on the M20 during Operation Stack whilst the Government was considering a range of short to long term solutions.Highways England is considering a number of sites off the strategic road network which could offer a potential long term solution. The work on this is moving at pace but no final decisions have been made.

Euston Station

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will carry out an assessment of the effectiveness of Network Rail's assistance service for passengers at London Euston; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with a disabled people's protection policy (DPPP). This must be approved by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the independent regulator of the railways, which took over responsibility for approving and monitoring DPPPs from the Department in October 2013.A DPPP sets out the arrangements and assistance that an operator will provide to protect the interests of disabled people using its services and to facilitate such use. Network Rail has a DPPP setting out the assistance it will provide at London Euston and at the other 17 stations it manages.If there is evidence that Network Rail is not achieving good outcomes for passengers this should be referred to Network Rail so they can put it right, or to ORR if it is not resolved. ORR can take a number of steps where it finds evidence that there is a problem, including, ultimately, following its enforcement policy where other means have failed.I have contacted Network Rail on this point who have informed me that they offer a free mobility assistance service to all passengers that feel they need an extra hand during their travel to and from Euston station. This includes help boarding and alighting trains, assistance with onward journeys on other forms of transport, access to the station toilets and access to the first class lounge. This service does not include assistance to and from the shops on the concourse. Mobility assistance vehicles are available, seating a maximum of three people.

Stephen O'Malley

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has responded to the Regulation 28 report issued by Andre Rebello, Senior Coroner, Liverpool and Wirral area, on 1 September 2015, in relation to the death of Stephen O'Malley; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Marine Accident Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport has received a copy of a Regulation 28 Report from the Senior Coroner for Liverpool and Wirral Coroner Area. The Report was addressed to SubCPartner, a Danish company based in Esbjerg. Given the circumstances of Mr O’Malley’s tragic death on 3 May 2012, the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents is sharing the Report with his counterpart at the UK Health and Safety Executive, which is the UK authority responsible for the investigation of diving accidents, so that lessons may be learned and promulgated with the aim of preventing any such recurrence.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Mobile Phones

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to permitted development rights in 2013 on the roll-out of 4G mobile services; and what plans he has to assess whether further reforms of such rights would facilitate further roll-out of such services.

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on future reform of the planning framework in order to facilitate the delivery of enhanced mobile services.

Brandon Lewis: On 10 July, the Government’s Productivity Plan set out its ambitions for mobile connectivity in England and launched the Review of 'How the Planning System in England Can Support the Delivery of Mobile Connectivity'. We sought views on the ability of the planning system to deliver and support mobile connectivity, the effectiveness of the changes made in 2013, and evidence on technical and operational factors, which may be limiting deployment.We received responses from mobile network operators and associated industry, local authorities, countryside groups and others. We are considering the evidence submitted and will announce the outcome of the planning review in due course.

Private Rented Housing: Evictions

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support private landlords in evicting tenants who are in breach of contract.

Brandon Lewis: Assured shorthold tenancies give landlords the automatic right to possession at the end of the initial fixed term on giving the tenant two months' notice. Possession through the courts can also be sought before the end of the initial fixed period, where the tenant has broken certain terms of the tenancy, such as by not paying the rent.We have made it easier for landlords to evict a tenant where it would be legitimate to do so, by introducing a prescribed form of notice which will reduce errors and remove the need for a landlord to specify the exact date a tenancy comes to an end, while retaining the requirement to give two months’ notice. The legislation came into effect on 1 October 2015 and we have published guidance and the required forms are at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/465275/Retaliatory_Eviction_Guidance_Note.pdf

Homelessness: Liverpool

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many children have been registered as homeless in each borough in the Liverpool City Region in each of the last five financial years.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Temporary Accomodation: Liverpool

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many children in each borough in the Liverpool City Region have been transferred to temporary accommodation in each of the last five financial years.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Local Government: Property

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what obligation there is on local authorities to publish online a property asset register; and to what timetable such an obligation must be met.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Oxfordshire County Council: Public Expenditure

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the percentage change in Oxfordshire County Council's spending power is in 2015-16.

Mr Marcus Jones: Spending power figures for 2015-16 are published at the link below:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/400629/Spending_Power_per_Dwelling.xlsx

Antisocial Behaviour: Multiple Occupation

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, by what measures landlords may be held responsible for the anti-social behaviour of their tenants in houses of multiple occupation.

Brandon Lewis: Where a house in multiple occupation requires a licence, the local authority can attach a condition to the licence which specifies how the licence holder deals with the behaviour of occupiers. Breach of a licence condition is an offence subject to a fine of up to £5,000.The local authority can also, subject to approval from a First Tier Property Tribunal, make Special Interim Management Orders to take over the management of individual private rented properties which give rise to significant problems of anti-social behaviour if the landlord does not take action to deal with the problem.The Government is commited to raising standards in houses in multiple occupation more generally, so they are a safe place to live in and do not blight the neighbourhoods in which they are found. We will shortly engage with the sector on options for extending the scope of mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Yemen: Armed Conflict

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that parties to the conflict in Yemen exercise maximum restraint and adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are aware of reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Yemen by all sides to the conflict and take these very seriously. We have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities and have received repeated assurances of IHL compliance and we continue to engage with them on those assurances. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with international human rights law.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach families in the North of Yemen despite the blockade of port Hodieda.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain very concerned about access for commercial and humanitarian shipping in Yemen. The UK has made clear to all parties that access for commercial goods and humanitarian aid, including via Hodeidah port, must be improved, and emphasised the importance of the non-politicisation of aid. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi Arabian-led coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient. The UK has so far announced £75 million in humanitarian aid – delivered through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs - to support Yemenis affected by the crisis.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Harry Harpham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will make representations to all parties in the conflict in Yemen to ensure humanitarian access.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We have made clear to all parties to the conflict that they must take all reasonable steps to facilitate access for humanitarian aid, and have emphasised the importance of non-politicisation of aid, as well as the need to facilitate access for commercial goods. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi-led military coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient, which should further ease access for aid. The Foreign Secretary met President Hadi on 28 September and spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Al Jubeir on 29 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly, and underlined the importance the UK attaches to finding a political solution to the current crisis as soon as possible. The Foreign Secretary also reinforced the necessity of full compliance with international humanitarian law and of facilitating access humanitarian and commercial shipping to the Saudi Foreign Minister. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) co-chaired an international meeting on the Yemen humanitarian crisis on 28 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly. This was attended by representatives of the military coalition governments and by the government of Yemen. In this meeting, she reiterated that it was critical for all parties to the conflict to facilitate immediate humanitarian access into and within Yemen, and lift any restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipping. To tackle the humanitarian crisis, the UK has so far announced £75 million – through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs - to support Yemenis affected by the crisis, including those forced to flee their homes, with emergency shelter, healthcare, water and food assistance, as well as supporting UN work to co-ordinate the humanitarian response.

Egypt: Females

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect people defending women's rights in Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We regularly raise the importance of human rights, including women’s, with the Egyptian government at both ministerial and official levels, and our Embassy in Cairo continues to monitor alleged cases of sexual and gender-based violence. In 2014 the UK sponsored a delegation of Egyptian Ministry of Justice officials to meet UK counterparts and discuss issues of gender-based violence. These discussions helped inform drafting of the new Egyptian law passed under interim President Adly Mansour, which criminalised sexual harassment in Egypt for the first time. At the UN’s Universal Periodic Review of Egypt’s human rights situation on 5 November 2014 the UK made recommendations focussing on the ability of civil society to operate freely and the protection of women’s rights, which were accepted by Egypt. We continue to discuss the issue of gender-based violence with the Government of Egypt and are seeking practical ways that we can work together in this area.

Azza Soliman

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Egyptian government on the prosecution of Azza Soliman, a women's right lawyer; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are aware of the case of Azza Soliman and concerned at the circumstances under which Ms Soliman became a defendant. We have raised Ms Soliman’s case with the Egyptian Ambassador in London, most recently on 23 April 2015. In September 2015, FCO officials held meetings in both London and Cairo with Ms Soliman, to discuss her case. We have also discussed this case with our partners in Cairo and have been represented at the trial hearings through the EU. We will continue to raise our concerns with Egyptian Government.

Egypt: Human Rights

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Egypt.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office published its annual Human Rights and Democracy Report on 12 March 2015, which provides an assessment of the situation in Egypt, and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/country-case-study-egypt

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the government of Saudi Arabia on the case of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr who was sentenced to death by crucifixion.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are very concerned about the case Ali Mohammed Al Nimr. We have raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level including by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all cases. Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team frequently raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, bilaterally and through the European Union.

Ilois: Resettlement

Seema Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the pilot resettlement scheme for Chagos Islanders meets their requirements.

Grant Shapps: The Government is carrying out a public consultation exercise, seeking the views of Chagossians and other interested parties, about a potential resettlement of the British Indian Ocean Territory. The consultation is scheduled to last 12 weeks, concluding on 27 October. I am pleased that an estimated five hundred Chagossians in the UK, Seychelles, and Mauritius have joined meetings with members of the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration to talk through the consultation document. Though we have been clear that this document is not a statement of UK Government policy, as no decision has yet been taken, it sets out the most realistic hypothetical scenario in which possible resettlements, including a pilot option, could take place. The consultation period will help us understand Chagossians’ aspirations and the level of demand for the options set out. This consultation continues the conversation with Chagossian communities as part of our review of resettlement policy started in 2012, which included an independent feasibility study, which concluded at the end of January 2015.

Northern Ireland Office

Low Pay: Northern Ireland

Mr Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to tackle low pay in Northern Ireland.

Mr Ben Wallace: Tackling low pay is part of the Government's plan to move to a higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society.100,000 low-paid people in Northern Ireland, 13 per cent of the workforce, will directly benefit from the National Living Wage from April next year.A full-time worker on the current National Minimum Wage will be £1,200 better off as a result.

Attorney General

Cannabis: Prosecutions

Paul Flynn: To ask the Attorney General, how many people were prosecuted for possession of cannabis in each of the last 10 years.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of defendants prosecuted for the offence of possession of cannabis. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Higher Education: Part-time Education

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to support part-time higher education courses through Local Enterprise Partnerships.

Joseph Johnson: All Local Enterprise Partnerships have higher education representation on their Boards and in preparing their Strategic Economic Plans consider and prioritise the most effective skills interventions for their areas, taking account of the needs of the local businesses and people.To support part-time study, we have relaxed the rules for those wishing to retrain in some selected courses in science, technology and engineering, and in 2012 introduced tuition fee loans to help part time students finance their studies.

Bitcoin: Databases

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to the UK economy of blockchain technology.

Joseph Johnson: The Government Office for Science is conducting a review of distributed ledger technology, which encompasses Blockchain technology, to highlight the potential benefits of distributed ledgers to the delivery of public services, and to help government identify and remove roadblocks to their safe and effective use.The review is being conducted by a panel of experts drawn from academia, business and government under the direction of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser. Their findings and recommendations will be published in a report this autumn.

European Court of Justice: Judgements

Mr Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans his Department has for implementation of the ruling of the European Court of Justice in case C-266/14 of 10 September 2015, on justice and citizens' rights.

Nick Boles: This judgment of the European Court of Justice automatically became part of UK law on the date of its publication. It is not necessary to amend UK domestic legislation to implement the judgment.

Science: Finance

Jeff Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the science budget.

Joseph Johnson: The Department works closely with HM Treasury on investment in science and research and is engaging at official and ministerial levels as part of the spending review.

Iron and Steel: Redcar

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what advice the Government has received on Government intervention in the steelworks in Redcar and European Community state aid rules; and what discussions his Department has had on this issue.

Anna Soubry: I received advice from Departmental officials on the legality of supporting a steel company in difficulty. The state aid rules on giving rescue and restructuring aid to steel companies are clear and all such interventions are prohibited.

Overseas Companies: Conditions of Employment

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the employment conduct abroad of companies which are based in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Boles: We have made no such assessment. However, the UK was the first country to publish a National Action Plan to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which sets out the Government’s expectation of business behaviour wherever they operate, including complying with all applicable laws and honouring the principles of internationally recognised human rights when faced with conflicting requirements.Company directors of UK-based businesses also have a duty to act to promote the success of the company, and in doing so have regard for a number of factors including the interests of the company's employees. To demonstrate this consideration, companies are required to report information on employee matters, where necessary for an understanding of their business.Furthermore, the Home Office will shortly be introducing regulations that will require businesses with a turnover of £36million to report on the measures they are taking to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not present in their supply chains.

Postgraduate Education

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to respond to the consultation on postgraduate study, student loans and other support.

Joseph Johnson: The consultation response is currently being analysed and the Department expects to respond in the Autumn.

Postgraduate Education

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the proposal in paragraph 1.154 of the Autumn Statement 2014 to introduce income contingent loans for postgraduate taught Master's students, what progress the Government has made on introducing that policy.

Joseph Johnson: The Government has consulted on the proposal for an income contingent loan of up to £10,000 for Postgraduate Taught Master’s students.We are analysing responses to the consultation and expect to publish a response in the autumn.

British Business Bank

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which 10 sectors received most support from the British Business Bank in (a) Mid Worcestershire constituency, (b) Worcestershire and (c) the UK since that bank was established.

Anna Soubry: Since 1st November 2014, the British Business Bank (BBB) has been an operationally independent public limited company, which is wholly owned by Her Majesty’s Government. The tables (attached) highlight BBB programmes by sector for Mid Worcestershire, Worcestershire and the UK. Start-Up Loans are presented separately for breakdowns beyond region.



BBB Programmes
(Word Document, 21.21 KB)

British Business Bank: Mid Worcestershire

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much support the British Business Bank has provided to small and medium-sized enterprises in Mid Worcestershire constituency since its creation.

Anna Soubry: Since 1st November 2014, the British Business Bank has been an operationally independent public limited company, which is wholly owned by Her Majesty’s Government. Between November 2014 and August 2015, the British Business Bank have facilitated over £1.56m of lending to 40 businesses in Mid Worcestershire.

Students: Grants

Mrs Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the abolition of the university maintenance grant on student numbers.

Joseph Johnson: I refer the hon Member to my answer to question 6380

Students: Grants

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with student body organisations on the effects of removing student maintenance grants.

Joseph Johnson: My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Ministers regularly meet stakeholders from across the Higher Education sector to inform policy development including on Higher Education student support.

Homophobia: Universities

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to tackle homophobic bullying in universities.

Joseph Johnson: Homophobia has no place on a university campus, nor anywhere else. This is a serious matter where a zero tolerance approach is required. Universities are already tackling the issue through a range of initiatives, including working with expert organisations such as Stonewall.Universities have duties through the Equality Act 2010 and in particular the Public Sector Equality Duty applies to publicly funded universities and requires them to have “due regard” to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation of students on the grounds of sexual orientation. Institutions themselves are responsible for making sure that their policies and practice meet their legal duties.However, more can be done. The Department is working with Universities UK, the body that represents universities, which has established a task force to explore what more can be done by universities to address harassment. The task force, which will involve the Department along with students and relevant sector bodies, will look at harassment in all its forms whether related to gender, religion and belief, sexual orientation or disability. Although it is for the task force to decide what the outcomes will be it is likely that the focus will be on practical actions to support universities to combat these issues and to safeguard students.

Department for International Development

Tunisia: Politics and Government

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance the Government provides to the Tunisian government on building democratic institutions.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The joint DFID-FCO Arab Partnership Fund is supporting Tunisia’s transition to a more inclusive and sustainable economy and democracy.This has included the development of a code of conduct for public servants, strengthened risk management, audit practices and the development of a whistle blowing framework, and enhancing transparent public procurement. The UK has also supported the development of an anti-corruption strategy and strengthened the role of the National Anti-Corruption Agency.

Iraq: Kurds

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to provide aid and support to the Kurdistan region of Northern Iraq.

Mr Desmond Swayne: To date, the UK has committed £79.5 million of humanitarian assistance in Iraq. All UK funded aid is distributed on the basis of need to ensure civilians are not discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion or ethnicity. This funding has supported the response in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), as the KRI is supporting 27% of IDPs.Given the importance of a coordinated response, we have provided £1 million of funding to UNDP to support the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Joint Crisis Centre (JCC), as well as its equivalent for the Government of Iraq, the Joint Crisis and Monitoring Centre (JCMC). In close collaboration with the JCMC, UN, donors and NGOs, the JCC is leading humanitarian efforts for the KRG.

Department for Education

Roads: Safety

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will require road safety and information on the dangers of the highway to be taught to all children in all schools as part of the national curriculum.

Edward Timpson: Schools can choose to teach about road safety in their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) lessons and the non-statutory programme of study for PSHE education includes road safety, cycle safety and safety in the community.The government expects all schools to teach PSHE and made this expectation clear in the introduction to the national curriculum. It is for schools to tailor their PSHE programme to reflect the needs of their pupils.Schools may wish to use the resources provided by organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), which offer a range of materials to help schools and teachers incorporate road safety education into lessons and school activities. ROSPA’s resources are available free on their website: http://www.rospa.com/road-safety/resources/free/teachers/

Free Schools

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that those free schools which have not yet published their performance results do so as soon as practicable.

Edward Timpson: All performance data for free schools is published in performance tables for all schools KS2, KS4 and 16-18 results, including free schools, and colleges that have results for pupils at the end of each of the key stages and /or post-16 study. There are no exemptions and schools and colleges cannot request that they be removed from performance tables.Information about the performance tables can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/

Primary Education: Free School Meals

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on continuing free school meals for children between the ages of four and seven; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The continuation of universal infant free school meals was a commitment in the Conservative Party’s election manifesto.The government is currently conducting a Spending Review across all its programmes.

Secondary Education: Co-education

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what options are available to parents who cannot send their children to a co-educated secondary school because of a lack of local availability and do not wish to set up a free school themselves.

Edward Timpson: Local authorities are under a statutory duty to provide a sufficient supply of schools and school places that meet the needs of the communities they serve.When a parent is refused a school place they have an unqualified right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. The decision of the appeal panel is binding – if the appeal is upheld, the admission authority must offer the child a place at the school.If a local authority decides that there is a need for additional co-educational places in its area, it could either expand an existing co-educational school or set up a new Free School, via the free school presumption route.

Schools: Governing Bodies

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the case for enabling schools to pay an allowance to school governors in recognition of their time, expertise and service.

Nick Gibb: The government recognises the crucial role of governors and values their expertise and dedication. As we move towards an increasingly school-led system, governance will need to be more effective with more highly skilled people governing groups of individual schools. The government, however, remains committed to the principle of voluntary service for governors and we have no plans to enable governors to be paid beyond the specific circumstances set out in section 7.6 of the Governors’ Handbook. This handbook can be found online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/governors-handbook--3Academy trusts are independent charities. Their governors are therefore also charity trustees who must comply with Charity Law. This means that they can only receive payment for carrying out trustee duties if this payment is specifically allowed by the academy’s governing document or has express authorisation from the Charity Commission. Any change to allow payment to trustees would need Charity Commission authorisation.Governors in maintained schools and academies can receive allowances or expenses to cover costs they have incurred because of serving as a governor.

Special Educational Needs

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assistance her Department provides to children with special educational needs (SEN) in cases where there are no available places at SEN specialist schools.

Edward Timpson: The Department has put in place a statutory framework which provides assistance to children with special educational needs (SEN).This framework requires local authorities to assess children’s needs and to keep provision under review in their area so that they provide appropriate placements for children with SEN. Local authorities must also publicise the support they provide through a local offer of services and they must review their local offer regularly, involving parents and children.Since September 2014, when a child has more complex needs, an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan may be issued. Local authorities have a statutory duty to make the special educational provision set out in EHC plans. Where parents ask for a preferred educational setting to be named within a plan, that setting is under a duty to admit the child unless it is unsuitable for the child’s age, aptitude, ability and special educational needs, or placing the child at the school would be incompatible with the efficient education of others or the efficient use of resources.The Department has made it possible for local authorities to commission a range of specialist SEN provision including special units and resourced provision in mainstream schools and special schools (including special academies). Local authorities may also use placements in non-maintained and independent special schools.The Department has created the opportunity for applicants to apply to open Special Free Schools under the Free Schools programme, where there is real, local demand from parents for a new or different type of education to benefit local children and their families. There are currently 19 Special Free Schools open.

Ministry of Justice

First Offenders: Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2015 to Question 4514, what the (a) sex of the offender and (b) offence type was of each person included in that Answer.

Andrew Selous: The information requested is contained in the table below.Number of offenders(1) with no previous convictions or cautions(2) who were sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence for a first offence in a magistrates court, 2014.Offence ClassImmediate custodial sentenceAll disposals(3)Male Femaleunknown Male FemaleunknownCriminal damage and arson1130   428801 Drug offences4330 1,4403027 Fraud offences119211 729  463  59 Miscellaneous crimes against society287563 2,207  477  37 Possession of weapons6561 1,445139  2 Public order offences2101 650  89  4 Robbery2810 731  102  1 Sexual offences3300 387  6  - Summary non Motoring141131 27,7448,258  275 Summary motoring182242 12,1383,469  141 Theft Offences263631 3,8391,804  26 Violence against the person82120 1,72063113 Source: Ministry of Justice, Police National Computer (PNC)(1) Figures are based on counting the number of sentencing occasions for offences committed by offenders which were prosecuted by police forces in England and Wales including the British Transport Police. (2) Figures are based on counting the number of occasions on which offenders have previously received a conviction, caution or the youth caution for any offences recorded on the Police National Computer, including some offences committed outside of England and Wales. Where there were multiple offences on the same occasion, only the primary offence as recorded on the Police National Computer would be counted.(3) Includes some deferred sentences that the police will update on the Police National computer at a later date when the final decision is known.

Prisoner Escapes

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2015 to Question 3603, how many offenders serving a sentence for murder (a) absconded and (b) escaped; and in what circumstances those offenders absconded or escaped in each case.

Andrew Selous: The number of escapes and absconds from prison have fallen to record lows since 2010. Only one prisoner serving a sentence for murder has escaped from a closed prison in the last 5 years and the prisoner was recaptured the following day. There was a thorough investigation and as a result substantial changes were made to further improve security.Absconds from open prisons are down 75% over the last ten years but each and every incident is taken seriously. We are not complacent and offenders who abscond are returned to closed prison conditions.The table attached provides details of escapes and absconds between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2014 of offenders serving a sentence for murder.



Absconds & Escapes  1 April 2009  to 31 March 2014
(Excel SpreadSheet, 30 KB)

Magistrates: Bridgend

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates served at Bridgend Law Courts between 2005 and 2010.

Andrew Selous: Between 2005 and 2010 the number of magistrates that served Bridgend Law Courts were:-2005 – 672006 – 712007 – 772008 – 862009 – 872010 – 84

Driving Offences: Fixed Penalties

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department will make public the conclusions of its review of driving offences and penalties announced in May 2014.

Andrew Selous: Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones, which is why tough sentences are available to the courts. The previous Secretary of State established a review of these issues. Ministers will consider any findings and set out their position in due course.

Ministry of Justice: Legal Opinion

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on external legal advice from Queen's Counsel since 7 May 2010.

Mr Shailesh Vara: This could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Courts: Closures

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment criteria are used to determine court closures.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The estate principles used to determine which buildings were included in the consultation document can be found at: https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/proposal-on-the-provision-of-court-and-tribunal-es.

Legal Representation

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to his oral contribution of 8 September 2015, Official Report, column 222, what progress he has made on talks with the Bar and the solicitors' profession on maintaining access to justice and enhancing the quality of advocacy in courts.

Mr Shailesh Vara: On 1 October 2015, the government published a consultation on Preserving and Enhancing the Quality of Criminal Advocacy, which sets out a package of measures designed to ensure the quality of criminal defence advocacy. These proposals seek to address the concerns highlighted by judges and legal practitioners, as well as Sir Bill Jeffrey in his Review of Independent Criminal Advocacy, published in May 2014. This consultation will close on 27 November this year and the government is keen to listen to all views on the proposals.

Preston Prison

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents in HM Prison Preston there were of batons being (a) drawn and (b) used each month in 2013 and 2014.

Andrew Selous: The drawing and use of a batons is an exceptional measure, and must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in order to be justified. All cases where a baton is drawn are recorded even if the baton is not used.The table below provides details of batons used at HMP Preston during 2013 and 2014.Table 1: Details of baton use at HMP Preston, by month, January 2013 to December 2014MonthBatons drawn but not usedBatons drawn and usedJan-1300Feb-1300Mar-1300Apr-1300May-1300Jun-1300Jul-1300Aug-13--Sep-1311Oct-1310Nov-1320Dec-1300Jan-1410Feb-1410Mar-1400Apr-1420May-1400Jun-1400Jul-1400Aug-1400Sep-1400Oct-1400Nov-1462Dec-1420Note to tableUse of baton figures for August 2013 for HMP Preston are not available.The high number of cases of batons in Nov 2014 related to a single incident of concerted indiscipline, in which staff drew batons in order to defend themselves while bringing the situation to asafe resolution. There were no significant injuries reported.Figures relating to baton use are derived from an administrative system. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister: Correspondence

Ian Murray: To ask the Prime Minister, when he will reply to the letter of 24 July from the First Minister of Scotland on the surveillance of Members of the Scottish Parliament; and if he will place in the Library a copy of his response.

Mr David Cameron: A reply will be sent shortly.

Energy: Infrastructure

Mr Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment the National Security Council has made of the potential risks of using Chinese-built or owned energy infrastructure.

Mr David Cameron: A wide range of national security issues, including energy security, are considered by the National Security Council and the NSC (Threats, Hazards, Resilience and Contingencies) sub-Committee. Senior officials support and inform these Ministerial-level discussions.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Television: Licensing

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will introduce a television licence scheme based on days rather than months.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The way in which the BBC is funded, and how the licence fee works -including potential simpler systems of payment -is an important aspect of the current debate around Charter Review. There has been a range of opinions expressed, not least as part of the substantial consultation response,and I will be considering these through the Charter Review process.

Broadband

Nigel Huddleston: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of differences in the roll-out of superfast broadband in each county.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Current availability of superfast broadband at county and local authority level is published by Ofcom. The latest data (June 2014) is available here:http://infrastructure.ofcom.org.uk/A data table listing all local authorities in the UK is available here:http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/infrastructure/2014/Fixed_local_authority.csvOver 2 million additional premises have been given access to superfast broadband since June 2014. This will be reflected at local and county levels in the next Ofcom figures.

Department for Work and Pensions

Capita: Conflict of Interests

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential for conflict of interest between Capita's role in carrying out Access to Work assessments while providing interpreting support for British Sign Language users undergoing those assessments.

Justin Tomlinson: The terms of the Access to Work Assessment Contracts include a specific clause to address the issue of actual or potential conflicts of interest during and after the contract period. The Department ensures that all terms and obligations of its contracts are complied with through an on-going process of commercial and performance management.

Employment and Support Allowance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9725, with reference to his Department's response to the Disability Benefits Consortium report on PIP Assessment Providers, published 4 April 2015, what steps his Department has taken to assess the usefulness of audio recordings as part of the employment and support allowance assessment process.

Priti Patel: A pilot of the audio recording of face-to-face Work Capability Assessments was undertaken in 2011 to “determine whether such an approach is helpful for claimants and improves the quality of assessments”. The pilot showed recording did not improve the quality of assessments. Less than half those taking part thought it would be helpful to them and only a handful requested a copy.However, despite very low requests for audio recordings, we are continuing to make this service available to those Employment and Support Allowance claimants who request it.

British Nationals Abroad: Pensions

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take greater steps to help UK nationals access pensions which have been earned abroad.

Priti Patel: The UK already participates in a comprehensive EU-level system of regulations which allows people to claim their state pension from every EEA country they have lived or worked in.There are further international agreements with countries outside the EEA and taken together with the UK's own bilateral social security agreements, the large majority of people are covered for claims to state pension earned abroad.

Social Security Benefits

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what analysis his Department has carried out on the comparative living costs of people (a) in the work related activity group of employment and support allowance and (b) on jobseeker's allowance.

Priti Patel: The Department has not carried out any analysis on the comparative living costs of these two groups.If claimants experience additional costs as a result of their illness or disability, they may be eligible to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which we have exempted from the Benefit cap and will continue to uprate by inflation.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Scotland

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Glasgow Central, (b) the city of Glasgow and (c) Scotland have been unsuccessful in claiming jobseeker's allowance because they did not meet the criteria for the habitual residence test since October 2014.

Priti Patel: Statistical information regarding the habitual residence test is intended for publication at a future date.

Personal Independence Payment

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that deafblind people unable to use a telephone or complete paper forms are able to submit claims for personal independence payments.

Justin Tomlinson: The claim process for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has been developed involving claimants and people who support disabled people. This includes organisations which represent individuals with sensory impairments, including Sense, the deafblind charity, and Deafblind UK.The current process allows for someone else to start the application for PIP over the telephone with the claimant present when the call is made. If a face-to-face visit and a specialist interpreter is required we would seek to provide one.For the remainder of the process the claim forms, paper guidance and general information are available in a range of formats including large print, Braille, audio and British Sign Language.We are working with Sense and RNIB in the development of the PIP Digital Claim. This will involve deafblind people testing the design and giving us feedback which we will use to make improvements to the online journey.

Pensions: Small Businesses

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of providing concessions to ease the cost of automatic-enrolment pensions for small businesses.

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the costs of automatic-enrolment of pensions on small businesses.

Justin Tomlinson: In 2010 the independent Making Automatic Enrolment Work (MAEW) review considered the impact of automatic enrolment on small businesses. Following the recommendations of the MAEW review, the Pensions Act 2011 introduced a package of measures to reduce costs and make implementation easier for small employers. DWP’s impact assessments continue to monitor the costs and benefits of automatic enrolment on small businesses.DWP is working hard to minimise the additional costs of automatic enrolment, particularly for small employers. The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) was established by the Government specifically to ensure that smaller firms have access to high quality, good value pension provision.NEST continues to undertake service improvements, including making it possible for small employers to set up and run NEST directly through their payroll software. The Pensions Regulator is also undertaking research and testing in order to enhance its tools and educational material, and to simplify the automatic enrolment process for small employers.The decision to defer the staging period of small and micro firms from April 2014 to June 2015 brought significant easement to small and micro employers, leading to lower contribution costs and lower administrative costs. Additionally the contribution level is being phased in, in order to help employers adjust to these costs. The minimum employer contribution is currently 1% and this will rise to 3% when the auto-enrolment programme is fully rolled out over the next few years.

Children: Maintenance

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of Child Support Agency enforcement rates for payment of child maintenance.

Priti Patel: The latest published figures show 88% of cases on the 1993 and 2003 schemes and 88% of case groups on the 2012 scheme contributing towards their current maintenance liability.Where a non-resident parent fails to meet their liabilities, the Child Support Agency has a range of enforcement powers. For example, child maintenance can be taken directly from bank accounts and wages; and the Government has also introduced a new power to disclose non-compliance to credit reference agencies.The total number of enforcement actions taken by the Agency can be found on page 41 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics June 2015 available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-statistics--2.

Child Support Agency: Fraud

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance he has issued to the Child Support Agency on reporting allegations of fraudulent tax claims to HM Revenue and Customs.

Priti Patel: For any suspected issues of fraud, including those relating to HM Revenue and Customs, the Child Support Agency’s Online Business Procedures (OLBPs) advise caseworkers to complete a referral on the Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS), which is a single, nationally networked IT system.

Children: Maintenance

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many liability orders issued by the Child Support Agency (CSA) for the non-payment of child maintenance resulted in (a) bailiffs acting on the CSA's behalf, (b) a county court third-party debt order, (c) an order of disqualification and (d) a warrant of commitment.

Priti Patel: The Department records statistics on the number of instances of different types of enforcement actions and publishes these in the Quarterly Summary Statistics. This information is set out on Page 41 of the Child Support Agency quarterly summary of statistics which can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2015.Note:A County Court third-party debt order was the enforcement action used prior to the introduction of Regular and Lump Sum Deduction Orders.

Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to respond to correspondence on case reference ZA12785.

Priti Patel: A response to the hon. Member was sent on 9 June 2015.

Carer's Allowance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of carers who depend on carer's allowance as their only or primary source of income; and what assessment his Department has made of whether that allowance benefit is set at a high enough level to keep the income of carers above the poverty line.

Justin Tomlinson: The information requested is not available. Such data is not collected. It is the circumstances of the claimant themselves, including their earnings, that may affect the Carer’s Allowance award. But any other income that may come into the household does not affect the claim, so we do not record whether Carer’s Allowance is the only or primary source of income.This Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by carers. The primary purpose of Carer’s Allowance is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person.In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Income Support and Pension Credit. Income-related benefits help ensure that people can afford to meet their normal daily living needs. These benefits include a carer premium, currently £34.60 a week. Universal Credit also includes a carer element at the rate of £150.39 per monthly assessment period. This means that those on lower incomes can be better off if they have caring responsibilities than others who receive these benefits.

Employment and Support Allowance

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.160 of the Summer Budget 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of aligning the rate of employment and support allowance for new claimants who are in the work-related activity group with jobseeker's allowance on people who have mental and physical illnesses.

Priti Patel: The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html

Social Security Benefits: Medical Certificates

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what statistics his Department holds on the number of sick notes provided by jobseeker's allowance or employment and support allowance claimants which have been lost by Jobcentre Plus.

Priti Patel: The Department does not collect statistics on the number of fit notes reported as lost.Claimants post their fit note into the Department or if it is urgent can hand it in at their local Jobcentre where staff are trained to update computer systems and arrange for benefit payments to be made if one is due.

Funeral Payments

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for funeral payments were (a) made and (b) granted in each region in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14 and (v) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Justin Tomlinson: Tables 1 and 2 give the number of the Funeral Expense Payment applications received and awards made by the Department for Work and Pensions by region from 2010/11 to 2014/15.Table 1: Funeral Expense Payment applications received by region, 2010/11 to 2014/15Region2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15East of England4,2004,8004,7004,1003,500East Midlands8,4004,6004,5004,0003,200London6,8006,9006,7006,5005,800North East4,4004,7004,2003,6003,000North West10,60010,40010,3009,2008,100Scotland8,3008,5008,0007,4006,300South East6,2006,4005,7005,2004,400South West4,0004,3004,2004,0003,100Wales4,3004,3004,4003,7003,500West Midlands7,2006,8006,6006,0004,900Yorkshire and Humberside4,3006,7006,4005,5004,900Total68,80068,50065,60059,10050,600Table 2: Funeral Expense Payment awards made by region, 2010/11 to 2014/15Region2010/112011/122012/132013/142014/15East of England2,5002,6002,5002,2002,200East Midlands4,2002,5002,3002,2002,100London3,8003,9003,6003,5003,600North East2,4002,4002,1001,9002,000North West6,1006,1005,7005,3005,000Scotland5,1005,0004,8004,4004,300South East3,1002,9002,5002,7002,700South West1,8002,3002,1002,1001,900Wales2,6002,4002,4002,2002,200West Midlands4,1003,8003,7003,3003,000Yorkshire and Humberside2,5003,6003,5003,3003,200Total38,20037,70035,20033,10032,100Notes:All figures are rounded to the nearest 100.Figures may not sum due to rounding.The applications figures are based on applications received by DWP, not applications processed. Some applications may have been withdrawn before a decision was made.The award figures include awards made after review, reconsideration or appeal following an initial refusal.These figures do not include cases which have been processed clerically and have not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System.

Carers: Social Security Benefits

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of kinship carers which are affected by the benefit cap.

Justin Tomlinson: We do not collect data on the number of kinship carers subject to the benefit cap.

Social Security Benefits

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department will complete mandatory reconsideration of case reference number FBH 1826.

Justin Tomlinson: There is no record of a mandatory reconsideration being requested for case reference number FBH 1826.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Wrexham

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many application forms for jobseeker's allowance were given out by Wrexham Jobcentre in each of the last 24 months.

Priti Patel: The information requested is not available.

Housing Benefit: Landlords

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the representations made by Shelter and the Money Advice Trust on the effect on tenant choice of the removal of a tenant's ability to have payment of the housing element of the universal credit paid directly to their landlord.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the removal of a tenant's right to choose whether to have a payment of the housing element of the universal credit paid directly to their landlord on (a) private sector and (b) social sector landlords.

Priti Patel: The independent evaluation of the Universal Credit (UC) Direct Payment Demonstration Projects report showed that asking claimants to take responsibility for paying their rent did not lead to big increases in rent arrears. We are drawing on the findings from these Projects as part of our approach to continually improving the service. The reports can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-payment-demonstration-projects-final-reports

Department for Work and Pensions: Publications

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many publications produced by his Department other than, Employment and Support Allowance sanctions for the work related activity group (ISBN Number: 978-1-78425-557-2), have been withdrawn from the gov.uk website since 8 May 2015.

Justin Tomlinson: In common with other departments, DWP regularly reviews its publications and other content online at GOV.UK and supplementary websites.Records for changes to our websites are not held centrally, and this information could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Take-up

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the UK are not claiming benefits they are entitled to; and what estimate he has made of the annual value of such unclaimed benefits.

Priti Patel: On 25th June 2015 the Department for Work and Pensions published the report “Income-related benefits: Estimates of take-up in 2013/14 (experimental)”. The full report can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up-financial-year-201314For Great Britain, the following estimates are available for 2013/14:Income Support, and Employment and Support Allowance: between 510,000 and 650,000 benefit units are estimated as not claiming Income Support, and Employment and Support Allowance, an unclaimed caseload proportion of 19% to 23%, and estimated to be valued between £2.43 billion and £3.25 billion unclaimed;Pension Credit: between 1.24 million and 1.43 million benefit units are estimated as not claiming Pension Credit to which they are entitled, an unclaimed caseload proportion of 36% to 39%, and estimated to be valued between £2.48 billion and £3.26 billion unclaimed;Housing Benefit: between 1.11 million and 1.3 million benefit units are estimated as not claiming Housing Benefit, an unclaimed proportion of 18% to 21%, and estimated to be valued between £3.16 billion and £4.1 billion unclaimed; andJobseeker's Allowance: between 650,000 and 820,000 are estimated as not claiming Jobseeker’s, an unclaimed proportion of 39% to 45%, and estimated to be valued between £1.99 billion and £2.62 billion unclaimed.

Work Capability Assessments: Glasgow

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work capability assessments in connection with claims for employment and support allowance have been carried out in (a) Glasgow and (b) Glasgow Central constituency since 1 September 2014.

Priti Patel: The total number of Work Capability Assessments completed from September 2014 to March 2015 in the Glasgow City Local Authority was 10,700 (rounded to the nearest 100). This figure includes Employment and Support Allowance initial assessments, repeat assessments and, Incapacity Benefit reassessments.The information requested by parliamentary constituency is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fish

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will require restaurants and take-away food outlets selling meals described as fish to specify the species of fish the dish contains.

George Eustice: There are no plans to require restaurants and take-away food outlets to specify the fish species being offered for sale. However this information should be available to the owners or managers of these establishments, so they could let their customers know which fish they are buying if they are asked.The general provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990, General Food Law Regulation 178/2002, and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 make it an offence to label or present food in a false or misleading way. A failure to adequately describe or label fish species in a food may constitute an offence under these rules.

Wildlife: Smuggling

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress is being made on reducing international trade in endangered species.

Rory Stewart: The UK is an active Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates trade in over 35,000 species. Trade prohibitions are imposed where they are needed to conserve the long-term survival of a species and commercial trade in the most endangered is generally prohibited. For those where trade is allowed, this is subject to strict regulation and monitoring to ensure that it is sustainable.The UK has also played a leading role in galvanising international action to combat the illegal wildlife trade, including of ivory. We hosted the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014 and actively supported the Government of Botswana in its hosting of a follow-up Conference in Kasane in March 2015. The Review of Progress prepared for that Conference, available at: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/415690/review-progress-kasane-conf-150317.pdf, contains information on action being taken by countries and international organisations to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.

Greyhounds: Animal Welfare

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to issue the public consultation on the 2010 Greyhound Regulations.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Greyhound Forum has been consulted over the forthcoming review of the 2010 Greyhound Regulations.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with UKAS on extending the current regulations on greyhounds to cover trainers' kennels.

George Eustice: Defra plans to consult on the initial findings of the Review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 this autumn. The Greyhound Forum and members of the Forum have contributed to the initial findings exercise and, as part of the initial stages of the Review.Defra officials have also had discussions with UKAS.

Fly-Tipping

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce legislative proposals to amend existing fly tipping offences to make it possible to attribute group responsibility or culpability to ensure local authorities can take enforcement action when illegal encampments fly tip on public land.

Rory Stewart: Tackling fly-tipping is a priority for the Government. Our manifesto sets out our plans to give councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping, as well as reviewing the existing fixed penalty notices for littering.These steps will build on other action we have taken, including working with the Sentencing Council to strengthen its Guideline for sentencing for environmental offences, which came into force on 1 July last year; making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be stopped, searched and seized; and continuing working in partnership with others through the Defra-chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting, investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.Local Authorities already have enforcement powers to prosecute individuals who transport and dispose of waste illegally. There are no plans to amend fly-tipping offences to attribute group responsibility or culpability.

Game: Animal Welfare

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the prevalence of the use of barren cages in gamebird units in contravention of the welfare code for gamebirds; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to prohibit the use of raised laying cages for breeding pheasants and partridges.

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of banning raised laying cages for breeding pheasants and partridges; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: Recent Defra funded research into the use of cages for gamebirds showed that enrichment and space allowance, in the forms provided, had little impact on the welfare of caged pheasants. However, egg production and quality and most measures of pheasant welfare were improved in cages compared to floor pens. For the partridges, the behavioural results indicated that enrichment might be positive for welfare and was probably a more valuable modification than increasing the size of an otherwise barren cage. However, the research also concluded that there might be penalties from parasitism and reduced egg production if enrichment is offered at a conventional space allowance. The published research can be found:http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=17541&FromSearch=Y&Publisher=1&SearchText=aw1303&SortString=ProjectCode&SortOrder=Asc&Paging=10#DescriptionWe intend to discuss the findings of the research with industry and welfare organisations as part of next year’s review of the “Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes”.

EU Presidency: Malta

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in Malta on the chairing of the environment sessions when Malta takes up European Presidency in 2017.

Rory Stewart: There have not, as yet, been any discussions at ministerial level with Malta on the chairing of environment sessions during the Maltese Presidency of the European Union in 2017.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers are in (a) Entry Level and (b) Higher Level Stewardship agreements in the Countryside Stewardship scheme.

George Eustice: a) There are 40,589 live Environmental Stewardship scheme agreements of which 26,399 are Entry Level Stewardship agreements (including organic and uplands variants).b) There are 12,572 combined Entry Level Stewardship/Higher Level Stewardship agreements and 1,618 Higher Level Stewardship-only agreements (which do not have an underpinning Entry Level Stewardship agreement).Countryside Stewardship agreements do not start until 1 January 2016.

Drinking Water: Contamination

Seema Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the Drinking Water Inspectorate to announce the findings of its investigations into the causes of the recent cryptosporidium water contamination.

Rory Stewart: The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) holds the statutory responsibility to investigate and report on drinking water quality incidents that affect public water supplies in England and Wales. It continues to carry out a detailed and thorough investigation into the recent cryptosporidium outbreak in Lancashire. Once the final report is completed, it will be made publicly available.

Drinking Water: Contamination

Seema Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps (a) her Department and (b) the Drinking Water Inspectorate are taking to ensure that utility companies take all reasonable measures to resolve efficiently and effectively (i) water contamination issues and (ii) cryptosporidium contamination.

Rory Stewart: Water companies are required to provide safe supplies of drinking water to the public. Where contamination of a public water supply occurs, whether by cryptosporidium or by any other cause, the water company involved is expected to take all appropriate measures to ensure that the public remains safe, and that a safe supply of drinking water is restored. The DWI has a rigorous independent regulatory and inspection regime, and holds enforcement powers to ensure that the likelihood of such an event is minimised, and, when they do occur, that the measures taken to resolve any issues are in interests of the customer.Defra is the sponsor department for the water industry and is responsible for setting the legal and policy framework for the regulatory regime as applied by Ofwat (the economic regulator) and the DWI (the drinking water quality regulator). When the DWI produces its report on the recent cryptosporidium incident in Lancashire, Defra will consider, with other stakeholders, what wider lessons can be learnt about the effectiveness of the current regime.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) Entry Level and (b) Higher Level Stewardship agreements in the Countryside Stewardship scheme (i) have expired and (ii) will expire in 2015.

George Eustice: Countryside Stewardship agreements do not start until 1 January 2016.a) As at 30 September, 7,824 Entry Level Stewardship agreements in the Environmental Stewardship scheme had expired in 2015, with a further 4,060 Entry Level Stewardship agreements due to expire by 31 December 2015.b) No Higher Level Stewardship agreements in the Environmental Stewardship scheme have expired or are due to expire in 2015.

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many expressions of interest have been received for the (a) Mid Tier and (b) Higher Tier of the new Countryside Stewardship scheme.

George Eustice: Expressions of interest were not invited for the Mid-Tier of the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, however:a) 5,640 requests for Mid-Tier application packs were received, resulting in 2,314 agreement applications; andb) 1,025 expressions of interest were received for the Higher Tier of the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, together with 257 applications for forestry agreements.

Departmental Coordination: Animal Welfare

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8416, which Minister will be chairing the Inter-Ministerial Group on International Animal Welfare.

George Eustice: The membership of the Inter-Ministerial Group has yet to be finalised.

Drinking Water: Lancashire

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) visits to the affected area and (b) meetings with United Utilities management Ministers of her Department held respectively during the cryoptosporidium outbreak in Lancashire in summer 2015.

Rory Stewart: The Secretary of State spoke with United Utilities (UU) Chief Executive, Steve Mogford, regularly throughout the incident, both over the phone and in person. Defra officials and Drinking Water Inspectors (DWIs) participated in regular meetings (several per day) convened by Defra and the Local Resilience Forum, all of which were attended by senior level representatives of UU. Defra Ministers were briefed similarly frequently.The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) team in the area attended the relevant UU sites to liaise with company officials and to carry out their monitoring and inspection duties on behalf of the Department.

Home Office

Home Office: Consultants

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policy evaluations have been carried out by external organisations for her Department and its agencies in each financial year since 2010-11; whether the output of those evaluations was published; which organisation carried out each such evaluation; and what the value of each contract to provide that evaluation was.

Karen Bradley: The available information is provided in Table 1.



Table 1
(Excel SpreadSheet, 12.07 KB)

Refugees: Middle East

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she plans to have with Ministers of the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive when assessing which refugees from the Middle East will be settled in the UK.

Richard Harrington: The Prime Minister and First Minister of Scotland have exchanged correspondence on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. We are working closely with the Scottish administration on the arrangements for resettling refugees, with a Home Office official attending the Scottish refugee taskforce. Discussions have taken place with representatives of the administrations of Wales and Northern Ireland.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will answer the letter from the right hon. Member for  Manchester, Gorton to the Immigration Minister dated 10 August 2015 with regard to Mr Mohammed Ali.

James Brokenshire: I apologise for the delay in responding to the letter sent by the Rt Hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton in respect of Mr Mohammed Ali. A response was sent on 21 September 2015 providing a full account of the information requested.

Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

Sue Hayman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government plans to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Karen Bradley: The previous Government signed the Istanbul Convention in June 2012. This Government remains committed to its ratification.The UK already complies with the vast majority of the articles through its comprehensive work to protect women and girls. However, primary legislation will be required to comply with the extra-territorial jurisdiction provisions in Article 44 of the Convention before ratification.The Government is liaising with the devolved administrations about ratification, including any further legislative steps necessary. The Government takes its international commitments very seriously and will only commit to such ratification when we are absolutely satisfied that we comply with all articles.

Interception Warrants

Mr Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many interception warrants were issued under (a) section 8(1) and (b) section 8(4) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in each day in 2014.

Mr John Hayes: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Deportation: Appeals

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people deported under the deport first, appeal later policy have subsequently appealed their case; and how many such appeals were successful.

James Brokenshire: From July 2014 to August 2015, more than 1,700 foreign national offenders have been removed under the deport first, appeal later powers, with many more going through the system. Of these, 426 have made an appeal against their deportation and 13 (0.7%) have been successful.TotalNumber of FNOs deported for the period July 2014 to August 20151,780Number of FNOs who have appealed against their deportation for the period July 2014 to August 2015426Number of FNOs who have been successful in their appeal for the period July 2014 to August 201513(1) All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.(2) Removals figures relates to FNOs deported under the new immigration powers (NSA certified).(3) Appeals figures relates to Non-EEA FNOs who have lodged an appeal after being deported under the new immigration powers (NSA certified). EEA FNOs who have lodged an appeal after being NSA Certified and were deported before appeal rights were exhausted.(4) Data Extracted on 28th September, 2015.

Asylum: Libya

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects a decision to be made on the asylum applications from Libyan personnel formerly based at Bassingbourn Barracks.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Asylum: Libya

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Libyan personnel formerly based at Bassingbourn Barracks and currently claiming asylum have had a (a) screening interview and (b) substantive asylum interview.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Asylum: Libya

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any Libyan personnel formerly based at Bassingbourn Barracks and currently claiming asylum have applied for an anonymity direction.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Asylum: Libya

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Libyan personnel formerly based at Bassingbourn Barracks are currently claiming asylum; and on what ground each such application has been made.

James Brokenshire: It is long-standing Government policy not to comment on individual cases. The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection and every claim will be considered on its individual merits.

Undercover Policing Inquiry

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will amend the terms of reference of the Pitchford inquiry into undercover policing to include operations by UK undercover officers that took place outside of the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Mike Penning: The terms of reference for the Statutory Inquiry into Undercover Policing, which were published on 16 July 2015, require the Inquiry to “inquire into and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England and Wales since 1968”. There are no plans to amend the terms of reference.

Refugees: EU Countries

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the projected number of refugees eligible to travel to the UK under EU freedom of movement rules if they become naturalised citizens of other EU member states.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Syria

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resources the Government will make available to local authorities to assist the housing of refugees from Syria.

Richard Harrington: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Syria

Ian C. Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria she will use to determine where in the UK refugees from Syria will be placed.

Richard Harrington: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Domestic Violence

Sue Hayman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to implement the coercive and controlling behaviour offence, as defined by the Serious Crime Act 2015; and what training the (a) police, (b) judiciary and (c) other statutory agencies will have on coercive control and the new offence.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Human Trafficking: Detainees

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many victims of human trafficking have been detained in the last five years.

Karen Bradley: Individuals who have been identified as victims of trafficking by the competent authorities are normally considered suitable for detention in only very exceptional circumstances, which include cases where there is a risk of public harm. This data is not collected centrally and accurate figures are not available. Once a person is detained their continued detention remains under review by the Home Office at least at monthly intervals, and earlier in response to any change of circumstances that might have a material effect on their detention.

Undocumented Migrants

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were incorrectly investigated as a result of immigration officials believing that they were living illegally in the UK in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cannabis: Police Cautions

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were cautioned for possession of cannabis in each of the last 10 years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Cannabis: Arrests

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were arrested for possession of cannabis in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were stopped and searched for cannabis possession in each of the last 10 years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not hold this data centrally. The Home Office collects data on the number of people arrested for drug offences and on the number stopped and searched on suspicion of drug offences. However, cannabis possession offences cannot be separately identified. These data are published in the annual Police Powers and Procedures statistical publication, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-walesThe next release is scheduled for Thursday 19th November and will cover the period up to the year ending 31 March 2015.

Arrests: Females

Mr David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women and girls (a) under 17, (b) 18 to 20, (c) 21 and over, (d) of unknown age and (e) in total were arrested for notifiable offences in the North Wales police force area (i) in 2015-16 to date and (ii) in the most recent quarter.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not currently hold the information requested. The latest statistics covering arrests for notifiable offences by gender, age and police force area cover the period to the year ending 31 March 2014, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2014/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2014#arrests.Arrests data covering the period to the year ending 31 March 2015 are due to be published on Thursday 19th November 2015.Data covering the period requested, and up to the year ending 31 March 2016 will be published in 2016.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions (a) illegal and (b) fake alcohol have been found by police in each of the last five years.

Mike Penning: The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the number of occasions when illegal and fake alcohol have been found by the police.

Ministry of Defence

RAF Northolt: Air Traffic

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) military, (b) non-commercial civil and (c) commercial civilian flights flew (i) into or (ii) out of RAF Northolt in (A) 2013-14 and (B) 2014-15; how many such flights are expected to take place in (1) 2015-16 and (2) 2016-17; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: Take-offs and landings are not recorded separately. The figures for aircraft movements (either a take-off or a landing) are as follows:YearMilitary Non-Commercial CivilCommercial Civilian (including commercial aeromed)London Air AmbulanceTotal Non-Military2013-144,068 149,22784710,0882014-154,023 4479,36659210,4052015-16 (April to August)1,584 1394,2422894,670The maximum number of commercial aircraft movements permitted per year at RAF Northolt is 12,000. However, given the other limitations on commercial traffic at the station (for example hours of operation, daily limits, etc.), totals for the years 2015-16 and 2016-17 are expected to be broadly similar to the previous two years (i.e. 4,000 to 5,000 military, 9,000 to 10,000 commercial civilian and 14,000 to 15,000 total).London Air Ambulance flights are recorded separately as they do not fit under any other category.

HM Treasury

Children: Maintenance

Stephen Doughty: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations HM Revenue and Customs has carried out for (a) non-payment of child maintenance and (b) allegations of fraudulent tax claims submitted to the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: (a) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not enforce non-payment of child maintenance. This is the responsibility for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Child Maintenance Group.(b) HMRC does not hold the numbers of fraudulent tax claims submitted to the Child Support Agency. The responsibility for providing HMRC with this information would be for DWP.

Fuels: Tax Evasion

Meg Hillier: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to tackle fuel fraud in Northern Ireland.

Damian Hinds: The government is committed to reducing revenue loss due to fuel duty fraud in Northern Ireland. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a comprehensive anti-fraud strategy in place that has driven down the estimated illicit share of the market for diesel in Northern Ireland (NI) from 26% to 13% since its launch in 2002. Autumn Statement 2013 also announced the expansion of HMRC Road Fuel Testing Unit and Criminal Investigation capacity in NI and Great Britain.The fight against fraud will be further enhanced by the new rebated fuel marker introduced in April 2015, which makes it much harder to launder marked fuel.HMRC also works closely with the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland to fight fuel fraud on a wide range of fronts. This multi-agency approach includes regular exchange of information and joint operational activity. The Republic of Ireland have also introduced the same new marker as the UK.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a car tax scheme which enables people selling cars to claim back part-months of unused tax payments.

Damian Hinds: It has been a long standing feature that VED licences are issued from the first day of each month and refunds are issued for whole months of unused tax. Licensing on a date other than the first of the month would add administrative complexity and cost to the tax system. The Government has no plans to change the existing arrangements in place for Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) refunds.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Offshore Industry: Decommissioning

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment she has made of the potential role of ports on Teesside in the decommissioning of offshore oil installations.

Andrea Leadsom: We are setting up the OGA to have a strong role in the decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure in the UK Continental Shelf. OGA are developing a decommissioning strategy, working closely with industry and government, to reduce the costs and increase the efficiency of decommissioning, and to encourage technology development. OGA is seeking to develop a more competitive model for decommissioning which stimulates market solutions and innovation. Decommissioning represents opportunities for UK industry to compete for business and I would encourage companies to engage to give themselves the best chance of winning contracts.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of reducing the Feed in Tariff on the ability of the UK to meet its renewable energy targets.

Andrea Leadsom: We are on track to exceed our target of generating more than 30% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020.The Feed-in Tariff has been extremely successful in deploying renewable energy sources. We have already exceeded our 2020/21 projections for wind, hydro, and anaerobic digestion under the scheme and, even with the action proposed in the consultation, we will be within the range of our solar projections.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she has received on the potential effect on jobs and investment in the solar industry of a more gradual reduction in feed-in-tariff subsidies than is proposed.

Andrea Leadsom: The Feed-in Tariff Review is currently open for consultation until 23 October. As part of that, we strongly welcome evidence from the industry around the impact on jobs and investment.

Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which other possible new nuclear stations have been discussed in addition to the proposed Hinkley Point C station; and what the estimated cost is of a station at each such site.

Andrea Leadsom: Proposals have been put forward by developers to build new nuclear power stations at five other sites listed as potentially suitable in the Nuclear National Policy Statement – Wylfa, Oldbury, Moorside, Sizewell and Bradwell. The proposals are at too early a stage to estimate the cost of each project.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect of proposed changes to the feed-in-tariff on solar firms and small businesses in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

Andrea Leadsom: Our consultation on the feed-in tariff review reflects the need to balance sector support whilst keeping bills down for consumers.We strongly welcome evidence from the sector during this review consultation, which ends on 23 October.

Renewable Energy: Housing

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that new housing developments are powered by renewable energy sources.

Andrea Leadsom: Building Regulations set demanding energy performance targets for new buildings, but without prescribing the materials or technologies to be used. This approach gives builders the freedom to innovate and to choose the most practical and cost-effective solutions for individual projects.The standards were strengthened most recently in April 2014, to a level that means builders increasingly have to consider the use of renewable technologies in their designs. These could be solar panels, or they could be other types of renewable such as heat pumps and combined heat and power (CHP) boilers – which might be more acceptable in conservation areas.

Energy: Buildings

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make it her policy to commit her Department to a long-term energy efficiency programme for buildings including the provision of solid wall insulation during this Parliament in line with the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change set out in its 2015 Progress Report to Parliament.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government is committed to working closely with industry and consumer groups on a new value for money approach to the future policy framework for energy efficiency, learning lessons from past approaches. Alongside its specific manifesto commitment of supporting low cost measures on energy efficiency with the goal of insulating a million more homes over the next five years, supporting our commitment to tackle fuel poverty, this Government is also committed to keeping energy bills as low as possible as part of a long-term, coherent and affordable policy framework. That framework, which will take full account of our legally binding commitments on climate change and on fuel poverty, will focus on enabling consumers to take up the measures that are right for them and their home, whether solid wall insulation or other measures. We are soon to see Peter Hansford’s Review on Solid Wall Insulation for the Green Construction Board and that will help inform policy affecting the technology as will the recommendations from the Committee on Climate Change.

Solar Power: Subsidies

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on jobs and income in the solar power industry of the recent change in policy on subsidies for that industry.

Andrea Leadsom: BIS’s report “The Size and Performance of the UK Low Carbon Economy” estimated that in 2013 there were over 34,000 jobs in the UK solar sector.Our consultation on the feed-in tariff review reflects the need to balance sector support whilst keeping bills down for consumers.We strongly welcome evidence from the sector during this review consultation, which ends on 23 October.

Energy: Prices

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has to ensure that energy companies do not overcharge consumers.

Andrea Leadsom: Competition is a key element to keeping prices as low as possible. There are now 25 independent suppliers for households to choose from in addition to the 6 largest suppliers, giving more choice than ever before. By switching from the standard tariff to the best fixed deal on the market, many people can save around £200 and some could save more. We have already made it simpler and quicker to switch supplier and are working towards next day switching.In addition, we supported Ofgem’s reference of the energy markets to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and are committed to implementing any recommendations the CMA deem necessary.

Renewable Energy

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to move the UK's energy supply to more renewable resources.

Andrea Leadsom: Renewable electricity capacity has trebled since 2010. The most recent step we have taken to support deployment is the introduction of Contracts for Difference, which gives companies long-term revenue certainty and drives down costs for consumers through competition. We will set out our proposals in respect of the next CFD allocation round in due course.Under existing renewable heat schemes, the Government has supported around 40,000 homes and 12,000 businesses, schools, farms and other organisations with new renewable heating systems. Almost 5 terawatt hours of eligible heat have been generated and paid for under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) at the end of August 2015.The Government is investing £500 million over the next 5 years in making ultra-low emission vehicles more accessible to families and businesses across the country, and fuel suppliers are already required to meet a 4.75% renewable transport fuel target by ensuring that sustainable biofuel is supplied.

National Grid: Fees and Charges

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what transmission charges (KW/hour) are levied by the National Grid on organisations commuting electricity from one place to another for each region of the UK in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andrea Leadsom: Transmission Network Use of System charges are charged on £/KW basis and include a locational element to reflect the extent to which the transmission system is used to move electricity from where it is generated to the centres of demand. Details of the 2015-16 charges are in National Grid’s charging statement which can be found at this link:http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Industry-information/System-charges/Electricity-transmission/Transmission-Network-Use-of-System-Charges/Statement-of-Use-of-System-Charges/

Solar Power

Heidi Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether community support for large-scale solar farms is a requirement in determining applications for such farms; and what grade of agricultural land is acceptable for the development of such farms.

Andrea Leadsom: Approval for large scale solar farms does not strictly depend on either community support or on grade of agricultural land.The National Planning Policy Framework provides guidance to local planning authorities on the issues which they should take into account in considering applications for solar PV (including on agricultural land). Further guidance on solar PV was published in the “Planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon energy” document. These documents can be found at the following locations:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6077/2116950.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225689/Planning_Practice_Guidance_for_Renewable_and_Low_Carbon_Energy.pdfIn 2014 we took action to close the RO to ground mounted solar PV larger than 5MW. We expect to publish our response to the consultation, which ran over the summer, on closing the RO to smaller solar installations,

Nuclear Reactors

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the relative safety, sustainability and threats to the environment of the various types of nuclear reactors used in nuclear power stations, including liquid fluoride thorium reactors.

Andrea Leadsom: The UK’s independent nuclear regulators assess individual nuclear reactor designs proposed for development in the UK. In doing so, their aim is to ensure the safety, security and high environmental standards of nuclear installations in the UK, rather than to compare proposed designs with each other. As yet, no liquid fluoride thorium based designs have been submitted to the UK regulators for such an assessment.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the proposed Hinkley nuclear power station operates in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

Andrea Leadsom: The proposed new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point has successfully completed Generic Design Assessment of the proposed reactor design, the EPR. The independent nuclear regulators, the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency, have also granted the project a site licence and environmental permits. The regulators would continue to ensure robust safety, security and environmental standards at Hinkley Point C, as at all the UK’s nuclear installations, through construction, operation and decommissioning.

Renewable Energy: Cooperatives

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will hold talks with the Financial Conduct Authority on lifting the moratorium on registering new renewable energy cooperatives.

Andrea Leadsom: This Government strongly supports the community energy sector, including the mutual society model for community groups. However the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is an independent non-governmental body and it is important that the Government does not interfere with its work. The FCA recently consulted on their registration function under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and it is working to ensure the right balance is struck between investor protection and continued growth of this form of investment. The FCA will respond to this consultation later this year.

Renewable Energy: Cooperatives

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support her Department is providing to renewable energy cooperatives.

Andrea Leadsom: This Government is proud to support the community energy sector, including renewable energy cooperatives. We have provided £2m to support over 100 community groups through the Urban and Rural Community Energy Funds. We also provided £885,000 to Bristol City Council to develop a Local Authority Best Practice Programme. In September, during Community Energy Fortnight, the DECC-funded Community Energy Hub was launched, which will help communities across the UK share knowledge and information on community energy projects.The community energy sector is thriving and resilient. There are over 5,000 community groups active in the UK and the sector independently raised over £25m in project finance in 2014. There has also been a number of exciting initiatives recently, including the first local authority energy supply company set up by Nottingham City Council which aims to support local community groups.

Cabinet Office

Electoral Register

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish an updated electoral register, including each (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency, with the number of carry-forward electors who have not yet registered under individual electoral registration.

John Penrose: Individual Electoral Registration (IER) is essential in making the system of electoral registration more secure and less vulnerable to fraud. 96% of electors in Great Britain have already transferred to the new IER registers. As the Electoral Commission has said, many of these retained entries are likely to be redundant, for example where electors have moved home. The latest figures on electors retained from registers before IER, broken down to local authority and regional level, are available online:http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0007/190465/IER-May-2015-electoral-registers-data.xlsxThey show that the number of carry forwards had declined by two thirds between summer 2014 and May 2015. These figures do not take into account of the work of the annual canvass, which is currently underway, or extra Government funding available to Local Authorities to target remaining carry forward electors specifically. We expect the number of carry forward entries to decline further as a result.

Electoral Register: Freedom of Information

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued to electoral returning officers on the release of electoral registration statistics in response to Freedom of Information requests.

John Penrose: The Government has not issued guidance to electoral returning officers on the release of electoral registration statistics in response to Freedom of Information requests.

Government Departments: Ministers' Private Offices

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8466, if he will list the names, job titles and pay grades of all appointments to extended ministerial offices that have been made to date.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Government Departments: Ministers' Private Offices

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8466, how many appointments to extended ministerial offices (a) have been made to date, (b) required approval by the Civil Service Commission, (c) are currently under consideration by the Civil Service Commission and (d) have been rejected by the Civil Service Commission.

Matthew Hancock: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Department of Health

Sepsis

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of sepsis there were in (a) East Lancashire, (b) the North West and (c) England in each of the last three years.

Ben Gummer: Data for finished discharge episodes (FDEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of sepsis for East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) of Residence, North West Government Office Region of Residence, and England for years 2011-12 to 2013-14 are provided below.These figures refer only to hospital admissions and are not a count of patients as a patient may have had more than one episode of care within the same year.Count of FDEs1 with a primary or secondary diagnosis2 of sepsis3 for East Lancashire CCG of Residence4, North West Government Office Region of Residence5 and England for 2011-12 to 2013 -14. Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 2011-122012-132013-14NHS East Lancashire CCG of residence449547837North West England government office region of residence13,10914,70817,221England101,015114,285122,822Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information CentreNotes: Note that HES include activity ending in the year in question and run from April to March, eg 2012-13 includes activity ending between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013.1. FDE - A discharge episode is the last episode during a hospital stay (a spell), where the patient is discharged from the hospital or transferred to another hospital. Discharges do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one discharge from hospital within the period.2. Number of episodes in which the patient had a primary or secondary diagnosis - The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and 7 prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a HES record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record.3. ICD - 10 codes for Sepsis - A02.1 Salmonella sepsis, A20.7 Septicaemic plague. A21.7 Generalized tularaemia, A22.7 Anthrax sepsis. A26.7 Erysipelothrix sepsis, A28.0 Pasteurellosis, A28.2 Extraintestinal yersiniosisA32.7 Listerial sepsis, A39.2 Acute meningococcaemia, A39.3 Chronic meningococcaemia, A39.4 Meningococcaemia, unspecified, A40.- Streptococcal sepsis, A41.- Other sepsis, A42.7 Actinomycotic sepsis, B37.7 Candidal sepsis, O85.X Puerperal sepsis, P36.- Bacterial sepsis of newbornThe following pair of codes is a dagger/asterisk code pair (D and A) which must be present together: A39.1 Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndromeE35.1 Disorders of adrenal glands in diseases classified elsewhere4. CCG of Residence - The CCG containing the patient’s normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another area for treatment.5. Government Office Region of Residence - The Government Office Region of residence of the patient. It is derived from the patient's postcode.6. Assessing growth through time (Admitted patient care).HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Conversely, apparent increases in activity may be due to improved recording of diagnosis or procedure information.

Lung Cancer: Drugs

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 8491, whether interim commissioning arrangements are being considered for nivolumab lung cancer.

George Freeman: NHS England is aware that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is reviewing the use of nivolumab in lung cancer, and is likely to report shortly. NHS England has therefore advised that it intends to await the NICE recommendation rather than develop interim arrangements.

Lung Cancer: Drugs

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of lung cancer patients who would benefit from the immunotherapy nivolumab; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that it is not currently possible to estimate the numbers of patients in England who will be suitable for treatment, as the licence for nivolumab has been split into two distinct sub-groups (squamous and non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer) and the latter has yet to receive a marketing authorisation.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency plans he has prepared to ease pressures on A&E services during winter 2015-16.

Jane Ellison: This year winter planning has been integrated into the overall planning process for the National Health Service with winter monies put into clinical commissioning group baseline funding. As part of planning for the winter, each local system has been asked to implement eight high impact interventions to improve patient flow, the key driver of performance.To support the systems under the most pressure, the Emergency Care Improvement Programme will provide intensive expert support over winter to drive improvements in performance.

Autism: Diagnosis

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS England collects data on waiting times between referral and first appointment for a diagnosis of autism in line with NICE Quality Standard QS51.

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to increase the awareness of autism among the public and encourage patients to request a referral for diagnosis from their GP.

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for autism diagnosis.

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to include access to a timely autism diagnosis in his Department's next mandate to NHS England.

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time is for autistic diagnosis in each clinical commissioning group area.

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to introduce a target of a maximum of three months between being referred for a diagnostic assessment for autism and a first appointment.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the waiting times standards for mental health services under development by NHS England include indicators relating to autism diagnosis waiting times.

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England relating to autism diagnosis waiting times.

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) NHS England are taking to ensure that autism diagnosis waiting times for (i) children and (ii) adults meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.

Alistair Burt: The Department has discussed with NHS England the difficulties that people on the autistic spectrum can have in getting an appropriate diagnosis in a timely manner. With support from the Department, NHS England and the Association of Directors of Social Services will undertake a series of visits to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to gather information that can be shared between areas that have arrangements in place to meet National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard 51 Autism: support for commissioning, and those that do not, with the aim of supporting more consistent provision. These NICE guidelines already recommend that there should be a maximum of three months between a referral and a first appointment for a diagnostic assessment for autism. We expect the National Health Service to be working towards meeting the recommendations.NHS England has also been working with the Health and Social Care Information Centre to develop the Mental Health Minimum Data Set. This will include provision for the diagnosis of autism to be recorded. This mandatory data set will, for the first time, provide data about diagnosis rates. The data will be published and available for everyone to use to support and develop services. NHS England has a commitment, over the next five years, to improve waiting times and this data will be invaluable for this. Information on average waiting times for autistic diagnosis in each clinical commissioning group area is not collected centrally.The Department issued new statutory guidance in March this year for local authorities and NHS organisations to support the continued implementation of the 2010 Autism Strategy, as refreshed by its 2014 Think Autism update. This guidance sets out what people seeking an autism diagnosis can expect from local authorities and NHS bodies including general practitioners.We are due to consult on how we set the mandate to NHS England prior to publication of the mandate itself. The mandate will be published following the Government’s Spending Review which is due to complete on 25 November.

Junior Doctors: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many junior doctors worked in the NHS in London in each year since 2006.

Ben Gummer: The number of full time equivalent NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) doctors in training and equivalents1 in London, as at 30 September each year between 2006 and 2014 and at 30 June 20152 is shown in the following table.200620072008200920102011201220132014201510,36010,44310,91611,64511,97112,08312,18712,45512,58412,288Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Medical and Dental Workforce Census.Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre, Provisional NHS HCHS Monthly Workforce Statistics.Notes: 1 Doctors in training and equivalents refers to the Registrar group, Senior House Officer, Foundation Year 2, House Officer & Foundation Programme Year 1, other doctors in training and other staff at these grades that do not hold an educationally approved training post.2 June 2015 data is the latest data available. This is sourced from the NHS HCHS Monthly Workforce Statistics.

Medicine: Education

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many medical students are currently studying in medical schools in London.

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many medical students studying in London medical schools are in their final year of study.

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many medical students studying in London medical schools are in their first year of study.

Ben Gummer: The Medical and Dental Students Survey records the total intake for medical schools for the 2014/15 academic year for London as1,616.Data is not held centrally on numbers of medical students studying in London for their final year of study or current totals of medical students in medical schools in London.

Blood Diseases: Drugs

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to procure extended half-life blood clotting factor products for use in the NHS.

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if NHS England will develop a clinical commissioning policy on the use of extended half-life blood clotting factor products in people with haemophilia.

George Freeman: The Department plans to tender for extended half-life Clotting Factor VIII and Factor IX for use in the National Health Service once the products are granted European Union licences and are commercially available.NHS England has made no decision at this time to whether it will develop a clinical commissioning policy for extended half-life productsbut, through the Clinical Reference Group and discussion with the Department’s Commercial Medicines Unit, will continue to review commissioning of these extended half-life products in the future.

Medical Treatments Abroad: EU Countries

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department gives to UK citizens who are invoiced incorrectly for medical treatment given in other EU countries.

Alistair Burt: United Kingdom residents, who appear to have been invoiced incorrectly or have not presented valid European Health Insurance Card while visiting other European Economic Area (EEA) countries or Switzerland, can get in touch with the Department of Health directly or follow advice available on NHS Choices Healthcare Abroad website at:www.nhs.uk/healthcareabroadPatients contacting the Department of Health are provided with specific advice based on the details of the case.Depending on the circumstances and healthcare route taken, either NHS England or Overseas Healthcare Team at the Department for Work and Pensions may reimburse patients.

Hospitals: Parking

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS sites charge for parking and have not introduced concessionary arrangements that are clearly signposted for patients and the public.

Alistair Burt: Results from the 2015 Patient Led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) collection shows that 31% of NHS sites charge for car parking. Of those sites that charge, over 86% currently provide car parking charge concessions.The following tables identify the hospital sites that charge, but do not offer concessions, or that offer them but do not prominently display that information.It should be noted that the information supplied was collected from NHS organisations and has not been amended centrally.Of the Hospital sites that charge for car parking, the following do not offer concessionsTrustSiteNottinghamshire Healthcare NHS TrustBassetlaw Hospital Mental Health WardsMersey Care NHS TrustBrain Injuries Unit Mossley Hill HospitalSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation TrustCalderdale Hospital (Dales)Anglian Community Enterprise CICClacton HospitalOxford Health NHS Foundation TrustCotswold House, Savanake HospitalSussex Community NHS TrustCrawley HospitalSussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustDepartment Of PsychiatrySussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustDove WardCentral London Community Healthcare NHS TrustEdgware Community HospitalWorcestershire Health And Care NHS TrustElgar UnitSouthern Health NHS Foundation TrustGosport War Memorial HospitalKent Community Health NHS TrustGravesham Community HospitalWest London Mental Health NHS TrustHammersmith & Fulham MhuHertfordshire Community NHS TrustHertfordshire & Essex HospitalSussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustHorsham Hospital - Iris WardBrighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS TrustHurstwood Park Neurosciences CentreSouth London And Maudsley NHS Foundation TrustLadywell Unit, Lewisham HospitalWest London Mental Health NHS TrustLakeside UnitWorcestershire Health And Care NHS TrustMalvern Community HospitalSouth London And Maudsley NHS Foundation TrustMaudsley HospitalKent And Medway NHS And Social Care Partnership TrustMedway, GillinghamNorfolk And Suffolk NHS Foundation TrustMental Health Services - WoodlandsNorfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNorfolk & Norwich University HospitalManchester Mental Health And Social Care TrustPark House - North Manchester General HospitalRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustPaulton Birth CentreCentral London Community Healthcare NHS TrustPembridge Palliative Care CentreWorcestershire Health And Care NHS TrustPershore HospitalSouthern Health NHS Foundation TrustPetersfield HospitalThe Lewisham And Greenwich NHS TrustQueen Elizabeth HospitalRoyal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRoyal Surrey County HospitalGreat Western Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSavernake HospitalKent Community Health NHS TrustSevenoaks HospitalSouth West London And St George's Mental Health NHS TrustSpringfield University HospitalSussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustSt Anne's Centre & Emi Wards, St. Leonards-On-SeaWest London Mental Health NHS TrustSt Bernards WingNorth Essex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustSt Margaret's Hospital, EppingBarnet, Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS TrustSt. Michael's HospitalBrighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS TrustSussex Orthopaedic CentreKent And Medway NHS And Social Care Partnership TrustThanet Mental Health Unit, 164 Ramsgate Road, MargateTees, Esk And Wear Valleys NHS Foundation TrustThe Briary UnitDevon Partnership NHS TrustThe Cedars (Exeter)Brighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS TrustThe Princess Royal HospitalBrighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS TrustThe Royal Alexandra Hospital For Sick ChildrenBrighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS TrustThe Royal Sussex County HospitalBrighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS TrustThe Sussex Eye HospitalSouth West London And St George's Mental Health NHS TrustTolworth HospitalDevon Partnership NHS TrustTorbay HospitalFrimley Health NHS Foundation TrustWexham Park HospitalBarts Health NHS TrustWhipps Cross University HospitalMersey Care NHS TrustWindsor Clinic (Aintree University Hospital)Devon Partnership NHS TrustWonford House HospitalDorset Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustYeatman HospitalSussex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustWoodlands, St. Leonards-On-SeaThe following Hospital sites offer concessions but do not prominently publicise themTrustSiteBuckinghamshire Healthcare NHS TrustAmersham HospitalBasildon And Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustBasildon HospitalBradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustBradford Royal InfirmaryCalderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation TrustCalderdale Royal HospitalLondon North West Healthcare NHS TrustCentral Middlesex HospitalThe Royal Bournemouth And Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustChristchurch HospitalCambridgeshire And Peterborough NHS Foundation TrustCity Care CentreNorth Essex Partnership NHS Foundation TrustClacton & District HospitalBlackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustClifton HospitalCroydon Health Services NHS TrustCroydon University HospitalNorth Cumbria University Hospitals NHS TrustCumberland InfirmaryCounty Durham And Darlington NHS Foundation TrustDarlington Memorial HospitalLondon North West Healthcare NHS TrustEaling HospitalSurrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustEast Surrey HospitalWorcestershire Health And Care NHS TrustEvesham Community HospitalThe Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustFreeman HospitalSouth Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustFriarage HospitalRoyal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation TrustFrome Birth Centre (Frome Community Hospital)Plymouth Community Healthcare (CIC)GlenbourneHeart Of England NHS Foundation TrustGood Hope HospitalGuy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustGuy's HospitalImperial College Healthcare NHS TrustHammersmith HospitalFrimley Health NHS Foundation TrustHeatherwood HospitalNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustHexham General HospitalSussex Community NHS TrustHorsham HospitalCalderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation TrustHuddersfield Royal InfirmaryLiverpool Community Health NHS TrustIntermediate Care Unit, Alexandra Wing, Broadgreen HospitalIpswich Hospital NHS TrustIpswich HospitalWorcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS TrustKidderminster HospitalBarking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS TrustKing George HospitalKing's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustKings College HospitalLincolnshire Community Health Services NHS TrustLouth Community HospitalWalsall Healthcare NHS TrustManor HospitalLondon North West Healthcare NHS TrustMeadow HouseMedway NHS Foundation TrustMedway Maritime HospitalSouthern Health NHS Foundation TrustMelbury LodgeTaunton And Somerset NHS Foundation TrustMusgrove Park HospitalNorfolk Community Health And Care NHS TrustNorwich Community HospitalNottingham University Hospitals NHS TrustNottingham City HospitalOxford University Hospitals NHS TrustNuffield Orthopaedic CentreShrewsbury And Telford Hospital NHS TrustOswestry Maternity UnitPoole Hospital NHS Foundation TrustPoole HospitalKing's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustPrincess Royal University HospitalGateshead Health NHS Foundation TrustQueen Elizabeth HospitalSouth West London And St George's Mental Health NHS TrustQueen Mary's HospitalQueen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation TrustQueen Victoria HospitalNottingham University Hospitals NHS TrustQueen's Medical CentreRobert Jones And Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation TrustRobert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic HospitalThe Rotherham NHS Foundation TrustRotherham District General HospitalEast Lancashire Hospitals NHS TrustRoyal Blackburn HospitalSheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustRoyal Hallamshire HospitalHertfordshire Community NHS TrustRuncie UnitWoking HospicesSam Beare HospiceLincolnshire Community Health Services NHS TrustSkegness HospitalHeart Of England NHS Foundation TrustSolihull HospitalSouthend University Hospital NHS Foundation TrustSouthend HospitalNorth Bristol NHS TrustSouthmead HospitalSt George's Healthcare NHS TrustSt Georges At Queen Mary's HospitalHertfordshire Community NHS TrustSt PetersBarnet, Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS TrustSt. Ann's HospitalBradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustSt. Luke's Hospital (Rae)Care And Support Partnership (Seqol)Swindon Intermediate Care CentreWorcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS TrustThe Alexandra HospitalOxford University Hospitals NHS TrustThe Churchill HospitalOxford University Hospitals NHS TrustThe Horton HospitalOxford University Hospitals NHS TrustThe John Radcliffe HospitalWorcestershire Health And Care NHS TrustThe Robertson CentreYour HealthcareTolworth HospitalTorbay And Southern Devon Health And Care NHS TrustTotnes HospitalUniversity Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS TrustUniversity HospitalThe Lewisham And Greenwich NHS TrustUniversity Hospital LewishamNorth Cumbria University Hospitals NHS TrustWest Cumberland HospitalWeston Area Health NHS TrustWeston General HospitalDorset Healthcare NHS Foundation TrustWeymouth Community HospitalVirgin Care Services LtdWoking Community HospitalWorcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS TrustWorcestershire Royal HospitalCumbria Partnership NHS Foundation TrustWorkington Community HospitalBuckinghamshire Healthcare NHS TrustWycombe HospitalYeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation TrustYeovil District Hospital

Social Services

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department is taking to improve social care quality.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 13 October 2015 to Question 10428.

Cancer: Drugs

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's policy is on making the drug Keyruda available for cancer treatment in the NHS.

George Freeman: Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for the treatment of advanced melanoma, which has spread or cannot be removed by surgery and has progressed after other treatments, is the first drug to be given a positive scientific opinion through the Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS). NHS England has undertaken to fund the use of EAMS products routinely within 30 days of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance being published.NICE published final guidance on pembrolizumab on 7 October 2015 which recommends its use for the treatment of advanced melanoma after disease progression with ipilimumab.NICE is also appraising pembrolizumab for advanced melanoma that has not been previously treated with ipilimumab and published final draft guidance which recommends its use on 9 October 2015. NICE’s final guidance is expected to be published in November 2015.

General Practitioners: Incentives

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the article entitled GP practices offered questionable incentives to cut urgent cancer referrals, published in Pulse on 1 October 2015, what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with (i) those clinical commissioning groups referred to and (ii) the General Medical Council on such incentives.

Jane Ellison: The number of patients referred to hospital for urgent cancer checks has increased by more than 600,000 over the past five years, and we want it to go up even more to diagnose suspected cancers earlier. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has set out evidence based guidelines for when patients should be referred, and no clinical commissioning group (CCG) incentive scheme should cut across that. NHS England has contacted each of the CCGs mentioned to ensure that this is very clearly communicated to all practices.NHS England is currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the independent Cancer Taskforce Report and put in place a governance structure for delivery.

NHS: Pay

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the article entitled Greed of the NHS fat cats published in the Daily Mail on 20 April 2015, whether he has instituted an investigation of salaries paid to NHS senior executives.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to encourage restraint in increases in senior NHS executive's pay.

Alistair Burt: My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all Chairs of NHS organisations on 2 June 2015 setting out a range of measures to ensure executive pay is proportionate and justifiable. He asked the Chairs urgently to review their policies on executive pay; to seek the views of Ministers before making any executive appointment paid more than £142,500 per year; to advise him of all current executive pay more than £142,500 and to provide a justification; to ensure that the HM Treasury guidance on off-payroll executive appointments is followed rigorously. He also announced his intention of introducing a limit on the rates payable to off-payroll interim executives; of introducing a national framework for deciding executive pay throughout the NHS; of clamping down on executives who retire and then return to NHS employment so that they do not gain financially from this; and set out his expectation that new redundancy terms should apply to all executive staff. We are taking this work forward.

Patricia Hart

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much Professor Patricia Hart was paid in total as Chief Executive of South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; and how many days in total she worked in that post.

Alistair Burt: These are matters for the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to Deborah Jenkins, Chair of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, informing her of the hon. Member’s enquiry. She will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Hospices: Finance

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much central government funding was provided for (a) adult and (b) children's hospices in the last year for which figures are available.

Ben Gummer: Adult hospices in England receive National Health Service funding locally for services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. Central Government funding of £570,951 was provided as part of the Nursing Technology Fund Grant in 2015/16 to three adult hospices in England.In addition to NHS funding for locally commissioned services, children’s hospices received £11 million in 2015/16 through the Children’s Hospice and Hospice-at-Home Grant, which is administered by NHS England.

Heart Diseases: Health Services

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been allocated to each region for providing congenital heart disease services.

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding was allocated to each NHS Trust for children's congenital heart disease services in each year since 1995.

Jane Ellison: Information on the amount of funding allocated to each region for providing congenital heart disease services and to each National Health Service trust for children's congenital heart disease services is not collected centrally.

Influenza: Vaccination

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets his Department has set for the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in each at-risk group for the winter of 2015-16.

Jane Ellison: A copy of the Annual Flu Plan and Annual Flu letter 2015/16 is attached, this provides guidance on the seasonal flu vaccination programme. In 2015-16, the seasonal flu vaccination will be offered to the following at risk-groups:- people aged 65 years and over;- people aged six months to under 65 with long-term conditions;- pregnant women;- people living in a residential or nursing home; and- the main carer of an older or disabled person.We also encourage all frontline health and social care workers to get the flu vaccination to help protect themselves, their families and the vulnerable patients they come into contact with.This year we aim to reach a minimum 75% uptake for those aged 65 years and older, and frontline health and social care workers.



Annual flu letter 2015-16
(PDF Document, 240.8 KB)




Annual flu plan 2015-16
(PDF Document, 504.61 KB)

Cancer

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on cancer services in each year since 2009-10; and what the year-on-year change in that amount was in real terms.

Jane Ellison: Due to the transition to new commissioning structures, it is not possible to create a time-series consistent with the years prior to 2012-13 because expenditure on some services covered by primary care trusts has transferred to local authorities and Public Health England.

NHS Trusts: Private Patients

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the aggregate income of all hospital trusts was from private patients, excluding overseas patients in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12, (d) 2012-13, (e) 2013-14 and (f) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The table below shows the aggregate revenue from private patients excluding overseas patients for all hospital trusts in England for 2009-10 to 2014-15.YearAggregate Non NHS: Income from private patients £000s2009-10408,5832010-11428,6412011-12452,4912012-13478,6492013-14501,7082014-15526,139

Social Services: Finance

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the delay in reform of social care funding until 2020 on the provision of social care; and how many people will be affected by that delay in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) the North West and (c) the UK.

Alistair Burt: We remain committed to the implementation of the cap on care costs, which will offer financial protection and peace of mind. The decision to delay followed careful consideration of feedback from stakeholders that April 2016 was not the right time to implement these significant and expensive reforms. The benefits of the cap have had to be weighed against the need to focus on supporting the system that supports the most vulnerable.In reaching the difficult decision to delay we considered the impact on those who would have entered the cap system from April next year. Though they will not benefit from the additional help straightaway, many will still benefit from the cap system when it is introduced in 2020. The delay will allow local authorities time to focus on consolidating the important reforms to care and support introduced on 1 April 2015, laying the groundwork to implement the funding reforms as successfully as possible in 2020.Based on the most recent impact assessment, had the cap system been implemented in April 2016, around 23,000 older people in England would have benefitted immediately in 2016/17 and by 2025/26 up to 80,000 additional older people would have received state support.Information regarding how many people will be affected by the delay in specific constituencies or regions is not held in the format requested.Means-tested financial support remains available for those who cannot afford to pay for care to meet their eligible needs.

Department of Health: Legal Costs

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of his Department's budget is spent on legal fees and damages.

Jane Ellison: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 13 October 2015.The correct answer should have been:

The Departmental Group spend on legal fees is captured in the Annual Report and Accounts for 2014-15. The Departmental Group spend on legal fees is separately identified under Legal Fees in Other Administration Costs, £61,159k £61.159 million and Programme Costs £128,642k, £128,642 million totalling £189,801k.£189,801 million.The majority of the Core Department’s spend on legal fees is captured as part of ‘Other’ spend under ‘Other Administration Costs’, ‘Programme Costs’ and in “Consultancy services”. The Annual Report and Accounts is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-of-health-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015It is intended that from the 2015-16 financial year, spend on legal fees for the core Department will be discussed separately in the accounts.

Jane Ellison: The Departmental Group spend on legal fees is captured in the Annual Report and Accounts for 2014-15. The Departmental Group spend on legal fees is separately identified under Legal Fees in Other Administration Costs, £61,159k £61.159 million and Programme Costs £128,642k, £128,642 million totalling £189,801k.£189,801 million.The majority of the Core Department’s spend on legal fees is captured as part of ‘Other’ spend under ‘Other Administration Costs’, ‘Programme Costs’ and in “Consultancy services”. The Annual Report and Accounts is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-of-health-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015It is intended that from the 2015-16 financial year, spend on legal fees for the core Department will be discussed separately in the accounts.